A Twisted Fairytale
by Black-and-Scarlet
Summary: Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a beautiful prince... yeah, you get the picture. HP/DM, AU.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me! I am just a fan with a slightly overactive imagination… =)_

_Warnings: Boy kissing in the near future, perhaps cuddling and some fluff, boys love… XD… and a fair bit of swearing and bad language._

_A/N: I'm a sucker for fairytales, ridiculously sweet love stories, and of course, a good old "happily ever after" so… yeah. This is pretty random and crazy. Beware, though… my mind is twisted._

_~ x X x 0 o 0 x X x ~_

_Lull the child to sleep, and let his young mind wander; to dreams where magic exists, and there's happily ever after…_

**Chapter One: The Newborn Prince**

"It's a boy," Ginny said flatly, folding her arms against her chest and frowning down at the baby inside the tiny oval bed with a plush scarlet cushion the size of a small child. The baby resting inside yawned and blinked its sleepy eyes open, looking up at the redheaded girl through bright round emerald eyes. It curled its lips upward in what might have been a smile, but it was hard to tell since it was only a few weeks old. The first signs of dark hair were showing on top of his head, and his skin was a soft caramel color. Ginny's frown instantly turned upside-down, but she wiped it off her face quickly and cleared her throat. "Nobody told me it was a boy."

Lily stood up from the king-sized four-poster bed draped in maroon curtains decorated with soft lavish pillows with gold trims. She clasped her hand in front of her and turned, gracefully, to approach Ginny and pat her on the shoulder gently. "We didn't expect a boy, either, dear. We were ready to name our child Francesca the moment he came out, but it turned out to be a boy. Nevertheless, we are all equally ecstatic to finally have a child!"

"How are you doing, Lily?" Hermione asked suddenly, as if just remembering that the woman in the room with her was just recently pregnant. She was by the windowpane, leaning on the frame with the heels of her palms. She was watching the baby in the crib stir and yawn again. Lily turned a smile to her and was about to answer when the large mahogany door of the bedroom opened and the three women in the room jumped with a start. James came waltzing in, wearing a very pleased grin on his face.

"Very sorry for the sudden intrusion, ladies," James said with a little wave of his hand and a bow. When he straightened himself, he ran into his wife's arms and beamed positively at the other two. "Lovely to see you two, Ginny, Hermione! But I do wonder, where is Ms. Lovegood?"

As if hearing her name on cue, a girl appeared in the very center of the room out of thin air, twirling around on the spot and sending her dirty blond hair flying in all directions.

"Luna!"

Luna smiled dreamily and gave a small bow. "Sorry I'm late. I had to deal with a problem concerning Wrackspurts."

Ginny laughed in mild amusement while Hermione snorted, looking outside the window. Luna gave another dreamy smile before approaching her two companions. Her eyes wandered around the room, then her gaze landed on the baby in the crib right beside Ginny, and she hurried over to take a look. Bending down, she beamed. "Why, isn't he the most precious little thing? Lily, James, I suggest you take care of him while it's still early. Nargles tend to get attracted to young and new ones."

The couple laughed heartily. The others quickly joined in with the laughter. Once it had died down, James clapped his hands twice in order to get the attention of the room. "Now that our three fairies are here, Lily and I are to make our little request."

"Anything," Hermione smiled.

Lily nodded at her gratefully and said, "I would like you three to be our son's godmothers. And also, if it's not asking too much, we want you to bless him."

"Oh, Lily!" Hermione said, walking towards Lily and taking both of her hands in her own. "We will give our blessings to the boy even if you didn't ask us to!"

Ginny pulled one end of her skirt out and bent her knees, one of her legs crossed to the back of the other, bowing in a princess-like fashion. "It would be an honor."

Luna spun around in delight and stopped abruptly, scooping the baby boy in her thin arms. "We will be delighted!"

The couple beamed at them all. "Thank you…"

At that moment, the child in Luna's arms did give a small laugh and all of the people in the room sighed happily in admiration. Ginny held her arms out for him, and Luna handed the baby over without complain. Ginny giggled. "Well, I guess there is nothing wrong with our godchild being a boy."

Hermione peered over Ginny's shoulder and asked, "What's his name, by the way?"

It was James who answered. "Harry…"

_~ x X x 0 o 0 x X x ~_

_A/N: So… this is only short because it's some sort of introduction. Anyway, if you want me to continue on with this story, review please! No flaming!_

_Oh, by the way, I don't beta my works so all mistakes are my entire fault. Sorry if it's disappointing in a way, I'm still trying to improve my writing skills –if I even have any. ^^'_


	2. Chapter 2

_Because in dreams we are free to journey the sky; And enjoy all of the wonders between you and I_

**Chapter Two: The Other Prince**

Narcissa was staring outside the window of the castle's main room when her husband walked inside. She heard the footsteps approaching, but she didn't turn around to face the source of the sound, even when they stopped right behind her. She spoke. "Time sure flies, doesn't it, dear?"

Lucius moved beside her and looked out of the window as well. Right down them was the garden, filled with many blooming flowers of different bright colors and tall lush trees lining up the edges of the square-shaped area. At the very center was a beautiful circular fountain with a statue of a fairy in the middle, one of her arms raised towards the sky and the other holding a vase to her chest where crystal-clear water was streaming out. Her wings were spread wide and right behind her, three little pixie-like sculptures were shooting and sprinkling water upwards. It was a truly wonderful sight, but what was even more mesmerizing was the small boy, not more than three, running around and playing. Lucius smiled. "Yes, I see what you mean. It seems only yesterday that he was a small baby. Ah, I remember the day clearly when I first held him in my arms. I felt like the happiest man on earth."

Narcissa nodded, then, turning her head to her husband, Lucius saw that she was crying and smiling at the same time.

Lucius was a little taken aback. "Why, Narcissa! Why are you crying?" He wrapped a comforting arm around his wife and rubbed her arms soothingly.

Narcissa took out a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her eyes dry. "Sorry, it's just that… I wish it could all stay like this forever. You, me, and our beloved son, living happily and peacefully in this kingdom of ours."

Lucius smiled. "Of course it will. Now, do you wish to go down to our garden and play with our son?"

Narcissa nodded with a small smile. Fully drying her previously tear-filled eyes, she turned to leave, but Lucius held her arm in place. She raised one elegant eyebrow at him slightly in silent question, but Lucius just smiled. He took his wife's tear-stained handkerchief and wiped her face, clearing the tear-tracks away. "Our son already recognizes tears. He will wonder why you were crying."

Narcissa smiled wider. Lucius let go of her arm, pocketed the handkerchief inside his robes and held his wife's hand, giving it a light squeeze. Narcissa squeezed back, and the two strode out of the castle's large main room. The couple walked out into the garden and saw their little son running around and stumbling over frequently, but he just got to his feet and laughed it off. Behind him was his babysitter, looking extremely frenzied, chasing him around.

"Young master!" she exclaimed, but the blond-haired boy just ran off again and laughed as though having the greatest time of his life. She sighed out in frustration, gathering up her frilly skirt and running off after the child. She stopped abruptly when she spotted the king and queen. She spun around on the spot and bowed down low. "Madam! Sir!"

Narcissa nodded and walked past her, Lucius in tow. "You may take a break now, Millicent. Thank you."

Millicent shook her head. "No, no, madam! Not at all." She gave another bow and hurried off to the castle.

Once she was gone, Narcissa turned to find her husband already with her son. It was surprising to see that Lucius was already covered with a bit of dirt and his tailored robes were already muddy. His long, white-blond hair was already falling out of the ribbon that held it tied up, and he was laughing with his son. Narcissa smiled warmly at the scene and felt her eyes prickling with fresh tears again. She turned quickly and wiped her eyes with her slender fingers. Behind her, she heard her son calling for her.

"Mother!"

She looked over her shoulder and saw the most precious people of her life waving at her and beckoning for her to come over. She hastily wiped her eyes clear of tears again, even using the heels of her palm, before hurrying towards the two.

"Mother!" Her son's arms were around her in an instant. She felt the mud-covered hands crawling into perfectly-tied hair but she couldn't bring herself to care. The mere sight of her beloved child cradled in her thin arms was enough to make her heart swell.

"Is my little angel enjoying himself?" she asked.

"Yes," came the happy reply.

She felt Lucius's hand stroking her own hair and his free arm wrap around the two of them, and she thought that nothing could be more perfect than this. She smiled down at her son and whispered in a very sweet voice.

"Draco…"

_~ x X x 0 o 0 x X x ~_

_A/N: Yeah… this is just a sort of view on what Draco's life was like. Now, the real story will begin in the next chapter. So… review? BTW, sorry for the late update. For some reason, I was unable to access my account here on FFnet, it's frustrating._


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Yes, this may get a bit OOC because we all need a nice and fatherly-like Lucius every once in a while! Don't get me wrong, though. I like them tall, blond and Slytherin. *grins* And besides, this is AU so it may get a teensy bit –okay, not a teensy bit- but a lot of weird. Anyway, hope you guys will enjoy what's to come!_

_~ x X x 0 o 0 x X x ~_

_Names are exchanged at the first touch of hands; Beginning a friendship that's greater than seas or land…_

**The Fateful Meeting**

An invitation arrived at the castle that evening delivered by an extravagant-looking carriage the color of maroon. Two beautiful white horses were pulling it, being manned by a thin young man wearing robes of bright scarlet. Another man wearing the same robes was by the huge front doors made of oak, holding a white roll of parchment in his hand. He was older and taller, and he had black skin.

The door opened all of a sudden to reveal a hall of marble. Flaming torches lined the walls and there were vases made of porcelain and china at the sides decorated with brightly-colored flowers. The floor below was topped with a thick green carpet, and above were chandeliers with tiny crystals dangling from them. A man emerged from the end of the hallway and he was approaching the front door. He was dressed in plain black robes and his dark hair hung over his face like a curtain. Once at the door, he nodded curtly. "Good evening. I am Severus Snape, and you are…?"

"Kingsley Shacklebolt," the dark-skinned man introduced himself with a small bow of his head. "And that" –he pointed at the young man by the carriage, who waved happily at them- "is Stanley Shunpike. We are from the kingdom neighboring yours, and we have come here to deliver an invitation."

Snape raised his eyebrows at Kingsley. "The kingdom of the Potters?"

Kingsley did not appear to be pleased by this kind of addressing to his king and queen, but he did not say anything about it. He merely nodded and handed over the roll of parchment in his hands. Snape took it, unrolled it, and read it once, before he gave Kingsley a nod. "I will be sure to give this to Sir and Madam Malfoy."

"Thank you," Kingsley said and gave another bow of his head in goodbye, then he turned and walked away. Snape watched the carriage as it began moving and disappeared into the darkness of the night, before he headed back inside the castle.

_~ x X x 0 o 0 x X x ~_

"Ready, Draco?" Narcissa asked as she entered the room. Draco shot her a look before he faced back into the mirror and ran a brush through his blond locks.

"Mother, I'm eleven. You can't just come barging into my bedroom whenever you like. I have my own sense of privacy now, and I would very much appreciate it if you respect my own personal space, thank you very much."

Narcissa smiled. That was something Draco had certainly taken from Lucius, and it was really nice to watch his son grow and come of age. His adolescence stage was only beginning, after all, and she wouldn't want to miss a moment of it.

"Sorry, darling."

Draco put the hair brush down and turned to face his mother with a grin. "How do I look?"

Narcissa eyed him carefully, although she knew that her son wouldn't let anything so much as a little crease or fold in his robe go unnoticed. He was wearing tailored robes the color of green and his hair was slicked back. His hands were covered with white gloves and his black shoes shone from underneath the end of his robes. "Perfect," Narcissa said.

Draco beamed at her.

There was a knock, and the two turned their heads at exactly the same time to see Lucius standing by the already open door, watching them fondly. Narcissa smiled and walked over to her husband before pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. "All ready?" Lucius asked as he looped an arm around Narcissa's waist.

Draco gave the mirror one last look before he nodded and walked over to his parents.

"The carriage is waiting downstairs, Madam and Sir," a voice said. Snape was standing right behind Lucius all of a sudden.

"Yes," Lucius said. "We'll be right down."

Snape gave a nod then turned and walked off. Lucius looked over at his family one last time before he motioned for them to exit the room. Draco excitedly leaped over to clutch at his father's arm, then they set off.

The journey towards the neighboring kingdom didn't take too long, and Draco was only beginning to get bored of the carriage ride when they reached the palace. Draco looked outside of the carriage's window and noted with a satisfied smirk that the Potters' castle was quite smaller then theirs. Nevertheless, the exterior of it was just screaming with extravagance and beauty. Draco didn't have much time to take in every single detail of the palace, however, because the horses pulling their ride came to a smooth stop, turned, and then continued on a different path.

Draco looked curiously at his parents, who both smiled down at him. Narcissa ran a hand through his hair, combing it backwards with her fingers.

They entered what appeared to be a forest, but from the looks of the trees and plants it was a part of the garden. Everything seemed well-tended, and not a single vine hung from the branches of the shady trees. The shrubs also looked like someone had been looking after them so that they don't outgrow, and flowers were planted at every interval. Draco was momentarily fascinated by the sight.

After a few minutes, the horse carriage passed through what looked like a tall archway and they stopped moving. The door opened and Lucius stepped out first, holding out his arm for Narcissa to take. Once his parents were out, Draco enthusiastically hopped out and took in his surroundings immediately. They weren't the only ones there. Other carriages were parked around them, being exited by other men, women and children Draco knew were important or well-known in one way or another. He only recognized a few faces, and even fewer names, but his parents were greeted almost non-stop.

A few moments passed and the three of them were led inside the castle by a young man. He introduced himself as Stanley Shunpike. "You can call me Stan," he said casually, as though he wasn't talking to a king and a queen. Draco rolled his eyes. They entered a huge sitting room with two doors. There were bookshelves lined against the walls, containing a wide collection of books from different countries. If there was one thing Draco noticed, it was that the interior of the design was mostly red, or a shade of it. Scarlet, maroon, crimson, brick red, ruby, burgundy, cherry, garnet, claret… it seemed that every type of red was located in the room.

Draco rolled his eyes again. He never found anything particularly attractive about the color. Now green, that was a better color. It looked fresh and elegant and cool, unlike red which looked sad and depressing and oddly resembled blood.

"The gathering will begin in an hour," Stan informed them, standing by the doorway. "In the meantime, you are free to use this room." And with that, the door closed and he disappeared.

Draco frowned, staring at the door. "I don't like that guy. He's rude."

Narcissa smiled at him.

_~ x X x 0 o 0 x X x ~_

It took almost an hour of knocking before the door to Harry's bedroom opened. Heaving a sigh of relief, Ron pushed himself in and looked around the dark room. "Harry?" he called, squinting in the darkness.

"Over here," a glum voice answered.

All of a sudden, the room brightened and Ron had to close his eyes for a moment, because the unexpected light was blinding. He blinked and waited for his vision to adjust before he looked over at his best friend, who was standing beside the lamp. "Harry," Ron said. "Your mum will have my head if you don't go down there."

Harry frowned. "Don't be ridiculous, Ron. Mum can't even hurt a fly."

"Oh, yeah, right." Ron looked around him, scratching the back of his head. "I have mistaken your mum with mine."

Harry raised one eyebrow at the ginger-haired boy. "Aunt Molly's here?"

Ron actually rolled his eyes at him. "Of course she's here. And she's looking for you. She won't stop pestering me, so I decided to climb up here and persuade you to come down, even if I have to drag your arse out."

Harry sighed in defeat. "Fine. I'll be there."

Ron smiled, turned then walked outside. "You better be!"

Harry shook his head. It's not that he hated parties in general. In fact, he loved them, especially the food being served. He liked the music as well, because it often relaxed him. It's just that every time his parents held something like this, and he made his appearance, strangers would be all over him. Old women would giggle down at him and practically shoved their daughters at his face. It was annoying, really. He was eleven –almost. It's only a matter of days, anyway. He was too darn young to be dealing with searching for a fiancée and such. Heck, he hadn't even thought about it _once_, not _ever_.

He just wasn't interested yet, at any rate.

He looked at the full-length mirror behind his cabinet door and examined himself. He was wearing elegant white robes which his mother had asked to be made just for this occasion, matched with silvery trousers and black shoes. His hair was neater than usual, but it still looked like someone had run their hands through it. Well, at least there was a slight improvement, Harry thought lamely. He lifted an eyebrow, though, at his mother's choice of colors. Usually he wore red, but now he wore plainer colors. Well, he guessed it was okay. Wearing bright red or scarlet all the time made him feel like a flag standing out in a sea of bulls.

With another sigh, Harry went out.

_~ x X x 0 o 0 x X x ~_

Not half an hour later and Harry already wanted to lock himself up inside his room. After being subjected to a bone-crushing embrace from Molly, he was pulled away and he found himself surrounded by girls.

"Hello, Prince Harry. My name is Romilda Vane."

"Pleasure meeting you, Prince Harry! I am Lavender Brown."

"Good evening, my name is Padma Patil and this is my twin sister Parvati Patil."

"Um… hi, I'm Hannah Abbott. It's err… nice to finally meet you, Prince Harry."

"Hello there. My name is Cho Chang. I assume you're Prince Harry? Care to dance?"

After the ninth girl who introduced herself to him and asked for a dance –which he politely refused- Harry decided he needed to have some air. He made up some excuse and walked away, briefly seeing his parents talking to a couple –obviously from another kingdom, since they were unfamiliar- who both had white-blond hair. Once he reached the door leading to the garden at the back, he pushed his way outside and was immediately greeted by the cool evening breeze. He closed his eyes to the wonderful feeling of the air caressing his face for a moment, then he walked over to sit by the edge of the small pond at the foot of a statue. It had been there since Harry was born, and when he had nothing else better to do he sat there, watching the sky.

The statue was of a beautiful woman believed to be Harry's great-great grandmother or something. She held a pot on her right shoulder, where water was gushing out in a beautiful stream. It flowed down to the tiny pond and Harry sat down on the grass, running his fingertips along the cool water. It was relaxing.

Thankfully, no one ever went out into this part of the garden during a party so he was safe.

But that was where he was wrong.

Moments later he heard the crunching of grass as footsteps walked towards his spot, and he looked up with a frown, expecting his mother or some random girl who will demand a dance from him. He was surprised, however, when he saw a boy about the same age as him with white-blond hair that appeared almost silver under the soft glow of the moonlight. He had pale skin, gray eyes, and he was looking down at Harry with an expression he can't seem to decipher. If it weren't for the robes, Harry would have thought that this person was female. It can't be, though, because girls were all make-up and wide eyes and they just can't be this _beautiful_.

It was like love at first sight, if such a thing even existed.

After a few silent heartbeats, Harry spoke up. "Hello."

_~ x X x 0 o 0 x X x ~_

Draco was beginning to get annoyed. People were staring at him like he'd just grown an extra head or something, and girls would whisper and giggle whenever he passed by.

After an hour of dealing with this situation, he decided that he simply had had enough and would rather go outside for some space and moment to breathe rather than hang around and pretend to smile and be pleased. He was about to walk out towards the front where he would pass by the forest and to the horses when he spotted that a door was open. He did a double-take, raising one pale eyebrow.

Someone had just exited the party, but who could it be?

Draco was curious. He looked around for a bit and saw his mother and father having a little chat with the king and queen of this kingdom, and he shrugged, deciding that a few minutes of his absence wouldn't cause them much alarm. He hoped.

He walked over towards the door and pushed it open. His sight landed on a spectacular view of the garden, much like the one they had at home, except that this place had more trees planted. His mother preferred flowers. He walked over for a bit, thinking he was alone, then his heart nearly stopped.

There was a boy sitting down by the edge of the pond, running his finger along the water. He must have heard Draco's footsteps because he looked up, and Draco's breath got caught at his chest. Could those eyes get any _greener_? They were brilliant, shining behind round spectacles like emerald stones. The boy's hair was a dark mess, and he stared at Draco curiously.

Draco wondered whether the thing called love at first sight was true.

After a few moments of silence, the boy spoke. "Hello."

Draco found the voice even more mesmerizing. He shook his head and cleared his throat, taking a step forward. "Hello."

The boy smiled and hoisted himself up. "What are you doing here? Are you not enjoying the party?"

Draco scoffed. "It was okay, until girls began to stare."

To his surprise, the boy laughed. "Yeah, I understand what you mean."

Draco found the sound fascinating and he found himself smiling without him even allowing it. He laughed for a bit as well, not taking his eyes off of the boy. "They're rather annoying, actually."

"Yes. Asking you to dance and stuff. I wouldn't be surprised if one actually walked up to me and asked to be married," the boy said, grinning widely.

Draco nodded in agreement. "Yes, that is true. With your looks, I'll say it's a likely possibility."

The boy suddenly blushed, causing Draco to blush as well. The dark-haired boy's smile suddenly became a bit shy and he looked at Draco through wide green eyes. "Is that a compliment?"

Draco swallowed and tried to regain his composure. "Why? Never heard a compliment before?"

"No. Yes. Well, not from a boy, to be exact."

"Oh."

"Well, you're pretty charming as well," the boy said, smiling wider at him.

Draco blushed again. "Pretty or charming? You need to decide on one."

"Both," was the boy's immediate reply. They both looked at each other in surprise, then they broke out laughing heartily.

"By the way, what's your-?"

"Son!"

The two boys whipped their heads around at the call. Draco saw his mother emerging from behind some trees and she breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing him. She called over her shoulder. "Lucius, I have found him!"

Without waiting for an answer, Narcissa walked over to her son and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't go off running about like that again without telling us, okay?"

Draco pouted and looked at his feet. "Yes, mother."

Narcissa smiled. She then spotted the other boy and whispered, "I see you made a friend, darling, but I'm afraid we must depart."

Draco looked up at his mother, then at the boy who was watching their exchange curiously. He smiled timidly and said, "So… I guess I'll be leaving now, err…"

"Harry," the boy smiled back.

"Harry," Draco repeated. "So long, Harry. I'm Draco, by the way.'

Harry laughed. "Draco. I like your name."

Draco blushed and looked up at his mother, wondering if she saw his reaction. She did, and she gave him a puzzled look before her features softened into a warm smile. She bent down to whisper in Draco's ear, "Say goodbye now, dear."

Draco nodded, then he reached out a hand. Harry only looked at it for a short while before he grasped it in his own. Draco felt warm all of a sudden, and they shook hands far longer than necessary. Narcissa cleared her throat and they instantly let go at the same time as though burned. Draco looked away and cleared his throat.

"Umm… Goodbye, Harry."

"Goodbye, Draco."

Draco and Narcissa left, leaving Harry standing all by himself at the garden. Both boys wondered whether they will see each other again.

_~ x X x 0 o 0 x X x ~_

_A/N: Yes, third chapter is up [but if you ask me, this is the real start of the story, or rather, _fairytale_ *giggles*]._

_Anyway, the next chapter will be posted right after this one as a bonus to those who are kind enough to give me words of encouragement. School's been tough, and I still can't log in. Imagine, I have to go to a shop or use another person's computer just to update. I mean, what's the point of having my own PC if I have to go through _that? _Being fourteen is tough! But since I love writing and you guys as well, I won't let it stop me!_

_So… in the next chapter, we'll jump to the future, say, seven years later? Hope you guys won't get confused with all of these year-jumping –it's my hand's fault for writing that in the draft. You guys will also find out who the antagonist is –any guesses?- and I hope no one will get disappointed with my decision. It just seemed… fitting for her. Oops, I let that one slip, didn't I? Damn, now you know it's a girl!_

_Okay, I'm rambling. I'll stop now, I'm probably beginning to get annoying, teehee… ^^'_

_So… Reviews, please! They would be very much appreciated and they keep me going on with this story!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Perfection is something that we cannot attain, no matter how much we whine and complain…_

_~ x X x 0 o 0 x X x ~_

**The Tower Witch**

Draco hated his birthday.

Okay, so maybe not really his birthday. In truth, he actually liked it since it was all about him, but what he hated were the things that go on when it's his special day. It was mostly all about the grand parties his parents insist on holding every single time he became a year older. Rich and important people would be going to their palace, filling their hall and foyer and rooms, and no doubt these people would be beaming down at him all night wishing him a happy birthday. At first, this was tolerable because these people were acquaintances of his parents in one way or another, and they really just wanted to wish him well, but Draco's patience was only very short. The corners of his mouth would feel strained from forcing himself to smile politely at his guests, and his entire body would feel exhausted due to entertaining those who wished to have a dance with him.

And to make matters worse, every single time there was a gathering like this since he reached the age of fourteen, girls would be lining up and following him like shadows. They would be watching him with the expression of a starving dog that just saw raw and edible meat. And to top it all off, girls would be _flirting _with him, speaking in suggestive tones, batting their eyelashes prettily at him, and "accidentally" brushing arms against him.

It made Draco sick.

Truthfully speaking, he just didn't… like girls. But he didn't like boys, either. Okay, so maybe that wasn't entirely true, since the one and only person he liked happened to be a boy. But that was years ago, and they never saw each other again.

Draco found it extremely odd to feel this kind of emotion towards someone his own gender, but he simply didn't care all that much. The way those striking emerald green eyes pierced through Draco's, the way those soft-looking pink lips moved every single time he talked and the way his ruffled dark hair looked underneath the pale glow of the moon… Draco instantly fell in love.

That was his first and only time to ever experience that. He had been gazing out of his window for a few nights after that certain meeting, watching the moon and remembering his conversation with the boy. His name was Harry, he had told Draco. Draco never heard anyone whose name was Harry before, perhaps due to the fact that he didn't even bother looking. He just thought it to be… well… pointless.

If he did find Harry, then what in the bloody name of Merlin would he do?

Propose his love?

Draco had snorted at the idea, although the thought of Harry reciprocating his feelings sent his heart racing. He shook his head clear of that particular thought. He was a prince, for Merlin's sake! A _prince_! It would be unacceptable for him to have feelings towards another man. And yet…

Predictably, his mother had noticed. Of course she would. She noticed everything, every single detail, as long as it concerned her son. She didn't appear to be really worried, at first, only asking Draco if he felt alright and if he wanted to go out for a walk in the grounds or something. Hell, she even asked once whether Draco would like to visit the neighboring kingdom! Draco turned crimson back then, staring at Narcissa in a mixture of embarrassment and utter disbelief, and he had refused quickly. It would be fruitless, he just knew it. He didn't even know whether Harry was from that kingdom as well or if he was just one of the many visitors.

What Draco found odd, though, was that his mother appeared to be okay with the thought of Draco being interested in another boy. She didn't say anything against it, really, and at times she just appeared to be genuinely curious.

Draco sighed.

He would be turning eighteen in two days, and he still didn't have a relationship with someone. For sure, girls would be trailing after him all night again during the party.

Why did he have to be so bloody gorgeous?

_~ x X x 0 o 0 x X x ~_

Narcissa smiled down at Draco sweetly and took his hand. She was wearing dark green robes which flowed down to her ankles in such an elegant way that it appeared to be so effortless. Right beside her, Lucius was smiling as well. He was in dress robes with colors similar to that of his wife, and the couple greeted their son warmly. "Happy birthday, son."

Draco gave them both a quick hug and beamed. "Thanks."

The party was already starting outside. The whole main room was filled with bodies dancing to the slow and sweet music being played by the violin. The walls were lined with flaming torches, adding brightness to the room. The silver curtains were parted by the huge windows, allowing moonlight to flow inside the room, adding a relaxing feel to the surroundings. Two long tables lined the walls on either side, topped with a clean white cloth and filled with different kinds of food that could make anyone's mouth water just by the sight of them. The main door was open, admitting the cool evening breeze inside.

There was an instantaneous silence as Draco stepped out from the darkness of the curtains by the top of the staircase. He looked down at his guests, most of them consisting of women –he noted with an internal sigh- and smiled his perfect prince-y smile that just sent girls swooning all over the place.

Draco really did look amazing in his silver robes. It was no wonder all the young-looking females in attendance began making a fuss. This was yet another one of their chances to woo the prince, after all. Draco noted that some were asking others whether they looked okay, most were shifting nervously on their feet and others looked extremely confident, their beautiful faces lifted elegantly and proudly. No matter what they were doing, though, all the young ladies had smiles on their pretty faces.

_Here we go again_, Draco thought with a sigh.

Narcissa and Lucius were suddenly by his side, and Draco looked up at the both of them with a small smile. He then cleared his throat and looked at everyone with a winning smile. "I give my deepest gratitude and warmest welcome to everyone in attendance and who have wished me well. Words simply cannot express how delighted I am to see all of you here, and for that I am eternally grateful."

Draco hated giving out speeches like this. It juts seemed… pointless. But it had been tradition for the one who was the center of any gathering to say at least a few words to the guests, and so he had no choice. When he finished speaking, he gave a small bow and flashed yet another one of his breathtaking smiles and everyone clapped. Draco then descended the stairs and everyone went back to whatever it was they were doing before.

As expected, a line of girls formed in front of Draco the moment his feet touched the marbled floor of the main room. They were all really beautiful, Draco had to admit that, but he just wasn't particularly interested. There was this one that had curly auburn hair wearing a bright red dress, another with straight dark hair in a yellow gown, and also a lovely lady with golden locks wearing a gown the color of summer. And yet Draco didn't feel even the slightest bit interested in any of them.

He made small talk for a moment, ignoring the suggestive purrs of some as best as he could. When it all became too much and one actually pressed her chest to his arm, he made up an excuse to escape.

"Please excuse me, but I need to go attend to something important. Enjoy yourselves, ladies."

The girls all looked disappointed but they nodded at him, faking smiles. Draco smiled at them one last time and turned on his heel, before walking off. Bloody hell, he needed a drink.

He reached one of the tables lining the wall in about fifteen minutes. People kept on blocking his path, either to shake hands with him or greet him or wish him well or something. Either way, by the time Draco reached for a glass of red wine, he was annoyed. Why can't the bloody night just be over?

As he took his first sip, there was a soft giggle from beside him and he turned his head. There was a woman standing far too close to him for Draco's comfort, and yet there was something odd about her aura that left Draco staring. She had wavy blond hair and bright, round eyes, and her elegant white dress gave a great emphasis to her fair complexion. Her cheeks were rosy, her lips full, and when she spoke her voice was like music. Beautiful didn't even begin to cover her appearance.

"Aren't you a little but too young to be drinking?"

Draco stared some more, wondering who this person might be. He had never met her before, and she didn't look familiar either. Draco sensed that there was something entirely different about her from the rest of the girls present, and this little fact made him all the more uneasy. Why can't they just leave him alone?

When Draco didn't answer, the girl took a glass of wine herself and sipped elegantly. She was tall, and had a very nice figure, Draco noted, as he watched the girl suspiciously. They were probably the same age. "Well, it is _your _birthday, so I guess you can do whatever it is you want. Which reminds me, happy birthday Prince Draco."

Her smile was so dazzling it could have blinded anyone within a five-meter radius. Draco wasn't just anyone, however. This girl was having no effect on him. "Thank you. I see you already know me. I wish I could reciprocate." Draco gave her his best smile.

The girl chuckled and reached out her hand. "I'm Astoria. Astoria Greengrass."

Draco took her hand tentatively and they shook. He let go quickly and took another sip of his wine. Astoria tucked her hair behind her ear delicately. She then gazed at Draco through speculative eyes and a slow smile curved her soft lips.

"Care to dance?"

Draco noticed that her tone wasn't all flirtatious. In fact, there was a hint of a challenge behind them. Draco put on his politest expression and bowed a bit, extending his arm out and opening his hand, facing upwards. Astoria placed her hand on his palm, and they walked onto the center of the room. Music began playing once more, this time a relaxing tune suited for couples, and the two danced.

"I have noticed, Prince Draco, you didn't dance with any of the girls who approached you. Why is that?" Astoria asked as they twirled around. Draco raised his arm, hand holding hers, and spun her in two circles. He pulled her close then released her again at arm's length, before stepping to the side. "You haven't answered my question, Prince."

Draco gave a small smile and shrugged. There was something about this Greengrass lady that was making him wary, he just couldn't point out what.

They continued to dance, earning a few glares from some of the girls Draco had so politely turned down earlier. And by the top of the staircase, Lucius was watching them. So was Narcissa.

Lucius bent down and whispered into his wife's ear. "Dear, who is that woman over there dancing with our son?"

Narcissa stared at the pair a bit longer. When she spoke, her answer was delivered slowly. "I… I honestly have no idea. She doesn't look the slightest bit familiar."

Lucius nodded.

Whoever this woman was, she wasn't invited at all.

_~ x X x 0 o 0 x X x ~_

The night finally came to a close. Draco felt exhausted, and he wanted nothing more than to fall down on his large, soft and comfortable king-sized bed, shut the curtains and sleep for ten hours. Or probably even more. As he waved goodbye to the last of his guests, he sighed in utter exasperation and walked inside. Narcissa approached his side and ran a soothing hand up and down his back, smiling at him gently.

"You must be tired."

"Yes." Draco smiled tiredly at his mother. The two then walked inside, completely unaware of the two pairs of eyes watching them.

From behind a tree, Snape spoke. "Are you sure it's him?"

Astoria smirked into the darkness and waved a hand lazily. "Positive. I can't think of a better candidate."

Silence followed her words, and for a few moments the two of them just stared into the night. After a while, Astoria turned on her heel and said, "I'll be going back to my tower now." Without even waiting for a response, she snapped her fingers. Next instant, she was gone.

Snape stared at where she just vanished for a long time, thinking.

_~ x X x 0 o 0 x X x ~_

_A/N: Don't get me wrong. I like Snape. A lot. So…review? Please? Pretty please?_


	5. Chapter 5

_Troubles cannot be avoided no matter what we do, For they're a part of life, this I tell you…_

_~ x X x 0 o 0 x X x ~_

**The Conflict**

"Draco, dear, don't you think it's time for you to look for a partner?"

It was a very good thing that Draco wasn't drinking his wine at that moment, or he might have choked on it already and embarrassed himself in front of his parents. He did, however, balked a bit and widened his eyes at Narcissa, who was merely looking at him in curiosity. His gaze shifted to Lucius, who was busy –or at least was pretending to be- with his food. Draco sighed. "What brought this up all of a sudden, Mother?"

Narcissa shrugged in an elegant manner only someone her social standing can do and wrapped her fingers around the stem of her wine glass. "I just think that you're already of age to start looking for someone. Unless…" she paused and lifted her glass to her lips, taking a small sip of the dark red liquid swirling inside. She moved it away minutely and continued, "You've already found someone."

At this, Lucius stopped pretending to eat his food as though it was the most fascinating thing he'd ever tasted and turned all of his attention to his son sitting across from them. Draco resisted the urge to fidget under his parents' knowing gazes and pretended to be busy sipping at his wine.

Lucius looked at his wife. "Draco has found someone already?"

Narcissa looked back at her husband. "Well, if I'm not mistaken, it was a few years ago. When he was eleven…"

Draco cleared his throat pointedly. So Narcissa did notice that he was fascinated with that Harry person from when he was young. But… Harry was a boy. And he was eleven back then, for heaven's sake. But then again…

Up till now Draco still thought of him at nights when he was alone, mentally reliving the brief conversation they'd had and wondering if they'd ever see each other again.

"Son?"

Lucius's voice snapped Draco out of his reverie and he looked at his father with a small start. "Umm, pardon?"

Lucius frowned slightly at his son, obviously not paying them any mind at all. "I asked you if what your Mother is saying happens to be true."

"Well… yes," Draco admitted somewhat hesitantly. "But my personal life isn't open for discussion."

Lucius lifted his eyebrows. "Oh? Then if it's true that someone had caught your fancy when you were eleven, do you mind telling us who this… person is."

Draco stared at his father for long moments. Lucius stared back, unperturbed and silently waiting for a response. Narcissa was finishing her meal as though nothing was going on between the two most important people in her life. Draco, however, knew that she was waiting for his response, as well. The young Malfoy looked at her for a moment, before his gaze shifted back to his father. He knew, surely Narcissa had told him. He knew that Draco didn't hold any interest in women. Not that he fancied men in general, but just this one certain dark-haired mystery guy whose name was Harry. Draco was partially sure that his father wouldn't take this down so easily.

"You know that this person… isn't a woman."

A sigh escaped Lucius's lips. "I should have expected this. Honestly, whenever a girl approaches you, you cringe away as though she has the plague. It's painfully obvious, truthfully speaking."

Draco blinked and stared for far too longer than can be considered as polite. Lucius stared back, but Narcissa was now looking up and smiling at him warmly. After a while, Draco found his voice once again and he looked back and forth from his father to his mother. "You… you knew?"

"Oh, darling," Narcissa said. "Of course we knew! You're our _son_." Lucius was nodding beside her.

"But, what? That's it? No angry tirades or shouts or outbursts or… _anything_? I mean, are you both seriously fine with this?"

Lucius finally smiled down at his only son and said, "It is a shame, being such a handsome young man like yourself. But Draco, just like what your mother said, you're our son. And we love you for who you are."

It took a few moments for those words to sink down into Draco's brain, and when they finally did, he stood up form his chair and walked around the table in three long strides, then he enveloped both of his parents in a hug. "I love you both, you know that?"

"Of course, and we love you, too," Narcissa smiled and patted her son's head lightly and lovingly.

_~ x X x 0 o 0 x X x ~_

Astoria was gazing outside of her tower's window when her fireplace erupted into green flames, and a man wearing black emerged. "You called for me?" Snape asked without preamble.

Astoria turned around with a sweet smile on her face that could probably fool anyone, but Snape wasn't just anyone. He knew of the evil that laid beneath the beauty and innocence of her face, what secrets were hidden behind those lovely features, and what wicked plans were formulating inside her head. The time had come for him to do what he had sworn to do ages ago. It was time for him to pay the price.

"Severus," Astoria said softly, then raised her right hand. "Come. Stand beside me."

Hesitant he may be, Snape did as he was told and walked over to the windowpane. "Time is precious, Lady Greengrass. Perhaps you would like to get to the point?"

Astoria shook her head with a small 'tsk'. "Impatient, aren't we?"

Snape kept his lips shut in a thin line. He seldom came to this tower, and whenever he did he would get this unnerving feeling. He glanced around the room briefly. The ceiling was high, unreachable without the use of a ladder, and a single chandelier hung above, candles flaming. The walls were a dull mixture of gray, light brown and black, somehow giving its occupants the feeling of dread. The only pieces of furniture to be seen were a four-poster bed in the very center of the room, two red sofas, and one full-length mirror looking very much out of place inside the area.

"You are aware that I saved your life a few years back?" Astoria's quiet voice brought Snape back to his senses, and he nodded curtly. He was on the brink of death back then, and Astoria came to offer him help. He was saved, yes, but he would have just chosen to die back then if he knew what the consequences of his actions would result into.

He was her slave.

"Daphne," Astoria called over to the mirror and a woman appeared inside it, looking very much unhappy. She scowled at Astoria, but the latter only smiled back sweetly. "Long time no see, big sister. How are you doing?"

"Shut up," Daphne snapped. "I'm trapped inside this mirror and you ask me how I'm doing? I hate you."

Astoria laughed, and though it was a sweet sound, Snape felt shivers run up his spine. "Oh, you do, do you?" Astoria asked her sister inside the mirror. She walked over to it and whispered, "I just want to show good old Severus here what I want him to do."

Daphne rolled her eyes. "Fine, but I still hate you."

"I know you do." Astoria's smile widened. She then turned back to Snape and said, "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the fairest man of all?"

Daphne's form swirled inside the depths of the mirror for a moment, before another figure materialized. A person with platinum blond hair and mercury silver eyes, pale and porcelain skin, and a charm that no one can possibly resist now appeared before them. Snape tried to keep his face straight, but he can't stop that heavy feeling inside his chest. He had been Draco's guardian when the young man's parents were away, after all.

"What do you want to do with the young Malfoy?" Snape asked, trying to keep the apprehension out of his voice.

"Simple." Astoria snapped her fingers, and the sound it produced seemed to have bounced off against the walls of the room they were occupying, resulting into an unsettling echo. "Kill him."

Snape knew what she would ask him to do, he really did, even from the start, but to hear it first-hand and to have it said in front of him still brought him shock. He was unable to speak for a few moments, then when he found his voice the very first thing that came out of his mouth was, "Why?"

"Why, oh why, indeed?" Astoria asked in a sing-song voice, then she twirled around the room before settling herself down on one of the sofas. She raised her feet and laid down on her side. "Because he's perfect. He's been my number one candidate, but he's too young, you see? And so I patiently waited for him to come of age. I need him, Severus. But not alive. I need a human sacrifice, remember? Only then can I perform the ritual."

Snape tried his best to nod. "And when do you want this to be done?"

Astoria's smile turned positively predatory. "Tonight. And bring the body back to me, be sure of it."

With that, Snape fled her presence, heart pounding in his chest.

_~ x X x 0 o 0 x X x ~_

"Young Master, would you like to go out tonight?" Snape asked the moment he found Draco alone.

The blond looked up at him from where he was sat by the garden, one elegant brow lifted in silent question.

Snape cleared his throat once and said, "Well, I find the weather fitting for a walk in the woods. Also, this is a good opportunity for you to enhance some of your skills in survival, Young Master."

"So, in short… you're asking me if I would like to go out and hunt tonight?" Draco asked, looking a bit amused. Snape nodded. The blond gave a shrug of his shoulders and turned to look at the brightly-colored flowers scattered about, grinning. "Sure, why not? It'll just be like old times."

For some reason, Snape felt his throat tighten and he gave a stiff jerk of his head. Damn, he was just not ready to kill this boy. Forcing his voice out, he was thankful that his voice wasn't shaking. "Yes, just like old times."

_~ x X x 0 o 0 x X x ~_

Despite Snape lying about the hunting trip he told Draco, he was right about the weather, though. The night was beautiful and perfect for hunting. The moon was full and just bright enough to guide the two in their paths as they rode on the back of their houses into the woods, weapons with them. It was cool and refreshing, and it soothed Draco's senses, relaxing his mind and making him able to concentrate some more.

They had already been out for a good thirty minutes or so, and they were already deep enough into the heart of the forest. They could no longer see the castle, even, and Snape wasn't sure if it was a comfort or not. On one hand, eliminating the prince would be easier this way –without any possibility of a disturbance whatsoever. On the other hand, once he looked around himself he was faced with the full realization on what he was about to do. He swallowed.

"Let's stop here for a while, that alright?" Draco asked.

Not trusting his own voice, all Snape managed to give was a small nod, and he stopped his own horse. They both climbed down, the sound of their feet hitting the ground echoing through the silence of the trees surrounding them. All seemed to be still.

Draco raised his arms over his head and stretched, yawning slightly. Though the night was still young, he was feeling rather sleepy. He put his arms back down at his sides and walked over towards the roots of the nearest tree, before he sat down on it, not caring if his clothes would get dirt on them at all. Somehow, he was feeling rather odd tonight. He looked over at Snape, who was also seated on the roots of one of the trees across from him.

The prince tilted his head to one side. "You're… oddly quiet."

Snape turned his head and glanced at him very briefly, before he looked back out into the darkness beyond the trees. "What do you mean, Young Master?"

Draco shrugged and leaned back against the tree. "Well, you're always quiet, but tonight… is quite, different. Did something happen?"

Snape didn't answer for a while. The breeze blew quietly between them, but neither of the two moved. They just sat there with faraway looks in their eyes, as though they were only physically present, but their minds were wandering somewhere far off. For a minute, the silence that followed them was deafening, as though neither of them knew what to say.

Draco was figuring out what Snape was thinking.

Snape was figuring out what he was supposed to do.

It was the blond who broke the ear-crashing silence after a few more heartbeats, and he said, "Is there… a problem?"

Snape finally turned to look at him, and there was something in his eyes that seemed off. Draco couldn't decipher the meaning behind that look.

"You are aware… that I've been serving your family for a long time now, right?" Snape's voice was a bit shaky.

Draco nodded slowly.

The dark-haired man let out a long, deep breath and then he placed his hand inside his robe, as though he was reaching for something inside one of his inner pockets. "I'll admit that I have grown attached to your family, and particularly to you. Your parents have put their full trust and confidence in me, and for that I am honored. I am… contented with the life I have now, and because of that…"

He pulled his hand out, and the long object he was gripping gleamed silver in the moonlight. Draco gasped, and Snape continued to speak.

"…I am so sorry for doing this."

_~ x X x 0 o 0 x X x ~_

_A/N: You guys thought I abandoned this fic, didn't you? Well… I thought so, too, in all honesty. Then I saw a picture of Drarry and I remembered how much I was in love with these two, so… yep. Sorry. ^^'_

_Oh, and **XxLadyKikixX,** it's nice to know that you like the little phrases I put at the top. It's not a quote, I write them… ^^_


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